During a news conference to promote his participation in Tuesday’s The Match golf event with Tom Brady, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers talked about what he has been doing to address his mental health this offseason.
Rodgers, the reigning NFL MVP, has not taken part in any of Green Bay’s offseason programs and has cost himself a substantial amount of cash by sitting out. The 37-year-old quarterback had the option of opting out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns, but didn’t, leaving the door open for him to return to the team once mandatory training camp starts later this summer.
“This offseason I’ve spent a lot of time working on myself. I think for a long time mental health has been only an ‘okay topic’ to broach if you’re talking about dealing with bouts of depression, suicide, like big issue topics with mental health. There’s been some weird stigma about it,” Rodgers said on Monday. “I think there’s been some athletes who have spoken out about those things and got the support they deserve, but there’s not a lot of conversation around the idea of having a very positive mental health state. I think there’s a lot to it—that I’ve learned—that I’ve focused on the offseason about how to take care of myself. The total package, not just my physical self, the workouts, but my spiritual self with my own mindful practices. My mental health as well. What’s the best way to take care of that? And that’s what I’ve been doing this offseason. That’s why I’ve taken the time I have taken and done the things or not done the things I have done and I’m very thankful for that time.”
In related Rodgers news, Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy did not mention the organization’s longtime franchise quarterback in his latest monthly column on the team website. In a previous column, Murphy shared his belief that Rodgers’s situation with the club had divided the fanbase.
“Training camp is a special time of year in Green Bay. Packers fans from across the country often schedule their family vacations around the training camp schedule, and the influx of fans is a boon to local businesses,” Murphy wrote. “Last year, we were in the throes of the pandemic and our training camp was unlike any previous camp. We had no preseason games and fans were not allowed to attend any practices. As we get ready for this year’s training camp, it appears that we will be back to a mostly normal camp.”
That’s assuming Rodgers is in attendance.
As for the fourth installment of The Match, Rodgers and DeChambeau will take on Mickelson and Brady starting at 5:30 p.m. EST on TBS, TNT and truTV.
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